Bedpan



April 1952 A. E. M. MITCHELL 2,591,850

BEDPAN Filed June 23, 1950 HE E 2 l 13 INVENTOR.

AMEuA E. M. MITCHELL 3 BY 11 12 wmflmwz mwz ATfORNEYS bedpans. H

j j r .A, primary object :of :the invention is to proyide azbedpan o'f transparent, substantially unbreakable-material, the bedpan having pfluidrcontent' m suri m ans.

- in Figure 2. i

' breakable. glass.

Patented Apr. ,8, 1952 ENT? ome I f-BEDPAN a a Amelia E. lt LIMi tchell,.Ponclratoula,'-La. iApplicationJune-23, 1950, Serial No.1169,905

greats. 01; 4-112.)

V, inventionr:relates to ,;'improvements in ,1A; ;further;obj,ect, is-to provide aubiedpanyfor useinhospitals and in the horne, the top-of the pan being shaped in a manner similar to conventional toilet seats, the pan being comfortable for the patient using it, whether he is "lying inbed or in a sitting position.

A further object isto provide a one-piece or unitary bedpan formed of unbreakable glass or the like zandrdesigned-so that the contents thereof will have no tendency to spill,the bedpanhaving meansyhowe-ver, to facilitate pouring out or emptying the contents.

A still further object of "the invention is to plrovidean improved bedpan which is highly simplified, very easy to clean and "therefore highly sanitary, and quite inexpensive to manufacture.

"Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same: I

Figure 1 is a plan view of a bedpan embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of thesame;

Figure 3 is a central, vertical, longitudinal, sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the side of the bedpan opposite to that shown Inth'e drawings, where, for the purpesetof illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral l0 designates generally my unitary improved bedpan, preferably formed of clear or transparent, tempered or un- If desired, the bedpan l0 may alsobe formed of any other suitable material, such as a transparent glass laminate.

As viewed in plan, the bedpan I0 is somewha elongated, and preferably tapered longitudinally toward its forward end. It comprises a wide, flat bottom I I and straight, forwardly converging, low, upstanding side walls l2 which diverge or flare-upwardly slightly, Figure 4. The side walls 12 are integrally secured to the flat bottom H, as shown. and thebedpan further comprises a 'reargextending vertical end -wall l3whichs is ,ient pouring meansorispout to facilitate transversely curved, as shown in Figure 1. The

rear' end wall I3 blends smoothly into: the straight, converging sidewalls 12 at the @widest portion of the bedpan; as shown at M, and near and forwardly of the rear end of the bedpan;

The-bedpan further comprises an .upwardly curved, relatively narrow forward end wall :15

which is also curved .or rounded transverselyyo'f the bedpan, as shown inFigure 1. The forward end wall 15 slopes upwardly and forwardly in :suclra manner that itconstitutes a convenp y? .ing the contents ofithe bedpan. V .9 "The bedpan I!) has substantially the same depth throughout its full width .and length, although the 'top of the pankmayslope downwardly very slightly toward its forwardend, Figure 72. The :bedpan 10 is provided in its top with a :relatively narrow, longitudinally elongated, parallel sided opening 16 extending :rearwardly throughout the major portion of the length .of the bedpan from the forward or pouring end IS. The rear end of the opening I6 is disposed substantially adjacent to the widest point M of the pan, Figure 1.

The bedpan includes an integral, substantially horizontal top wall l1 surrounding the opposite longitudinal sides and rear transverse end of the opening Hi. This top wall I! forms an important feature of my invention, and includes a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinal top sections l8, extending for substantially the entire length of the bedpan. The top sections i8 are built up or thickened so that they are preferably about one inch thick at their transverse centers, and the top faces of the sections l8 are transversely rounded, Figure 4, so that they have shapes in transverse cross-section very similar to those of the sides of a conventional toilet seat. As shown in Figure 1, the top sections [8 taper longitudinally forwardly, and are much narrower at the forward end of the bedpan than at the rear portion thereof. The top I! further comprises a rear, central, fiat, substantially horizontal portion or section is, integrally connected with the side sections [8 and being of the same thickness as the side sections 18 at their points of maximum thickness. The top face of the rear, cen-r tral section l9, however, is not rounded like the top faces of the side sections l8, but is formed plane or fiat, as shown. The side sections [8 and the rear section IQ of the substantially horizontal top I! all project laterally inwardly of the 56 marginal edge of the bedpan I0, so that they are arranged in vertically spaced, superposed relation with respect to the flat bottom I I. This arrangement renders it very unlikely that the contents of the bedpan will he accidentally spilled. The bedpan l contains no external or internal, sharp corners or edges, and all corners and edges are smoothly rounded, as shown, for the sake of comfort and to facilitate cleaning and sterilizing the bedpan. The length and width of the opening I6 are such that the bedpan is adapted to be used comfortably by adults and children.

To facilitate measuring the fluid content of the bedpan, without transferring the same to a separate measuring receptacle, I provide a pair of measuringscales 20 and 2| upon the opposite sides l2 of the bedpan. These scales extend verbedpan is designed for the comfort of the pa- I tient, whether he is sitting up or prone.

, fiat bottom and a peripheral wall thereon includtically, as shown, and are marked upon the sides out transferring them to another receptacle. The transparency of the bedpan facilitates detecting foreign objects in the stool, such as coins and the like, oftenswallowed by children. It is also easy to .see Murphy buttons, given after certain operations, and passed in the stool to evidence the success of the operation. Obviously, there are many other important advantages in having the bedpan transparent. 'Patients receiving radio iso-. topes cannot use metal bedpans and therefore have to be carried or walked to commode.

When a patient is in a sitting position,,the' top H is used like a conventional toiletseat. When the patient is prone or lying in bed, the buttocks engage the side sections I8 of the top H, while the small of the back engages or rests upon the rear,central, flat section 19. Accordingly, the

ing straight side walls converging toward one end of the bedpan, and transversely curved wide and narrow end walls joining the opposite ends of the side walls, a top wall on the upper edges of said side and end walls, said top wall comprising longitudinally elongated side sections laterally spaced from each other throughout their length forming a relatively narrow longitudinally elongated opening therebetween, said opening extending longitudinally from the narrow end wall toward the Wider end wall, said top wall including another section positioned between said side sections and said wider end wall at one end of said opening, the upper surfaces of said side sections being transversely and convexly curved throughout their length and the upper surface of said other section being fiat and plane throughout its length and width.

AMELIA E.. M. MITCHELL.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS I Date- Number Name j 805,312 Meinecke Nov. 21,1905 870,984 Meinecke et al. Nov. 12, 1907 .1 2,188,844 Pedersen Jan. 30, 1940 2,243,791 .Botenstein May 27, 1941 

